I zipped through the end of the rough draft of a new novella yesterday. I asked for beta readers for this one because I knew something was off, but was too close to it to see how to fix it. Between Heather, Masha, Virginia and Renee, I got some great feedback. My puzzle today is how to implement changes without a complete rewrite. The parts of the story that are there are good, it’s the glue between the scenes that needs to be applied because I rushed my couple and the ultimate four-ple (my word) into bed. It’s days like these I really wish I hadn’t quit smoking.
Last night I rewarded myself with a TIVO’d episode of one of my favorite shows, In Plain Sight. Yeah, I miss the adorable Rafael in Mary’s life, but the older, and more flawed, FBI agent Faber is completely right for Mary. All through the episode, I was silently nudging Mary to give him a chance. I think last night she finally succumbed to his charm. That awkward little peck he gave her at the end made me smile.
However, as much as I loved the show, I miss the drama of her dysfunctional family. Her sister Brandy is off to New Jersey blowing her boyfriend’s $20,000 doing who knows what, and we’re only getting an occasional phone call to remind us she exists? Really? Her mom is working in a dance studio, but has she also moved out of Mary’s home? Nooooooo! I need Jinx to fall off the wagon, to fall in love and fall apart. I need Mary to wallow a little more in family-made disasters because when shit hits the fan that’s when she shines.
Okay, so I’d much rather be thinking about Mary and the letter I want to send to the show’s writers than thinking about how to fix my own messy manuscript. It’s time to shut up, pull up my big girl’s panties and get to work.
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Hugs, Delilah! We know you can whip this in to shape! Glad you got some good feedback–can’t wait to hear that you’ve made it all better 😉 Then you can settle in and watch some reward TV! 😀
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LOL, guess I’d better pull up my undies too. Majorly stressing over a tiny scene revision the editor requested to eliminate back story. Worst of it is she thinks all the info in the scene is necessary but doesn’t want it seen as a flashback. I thought, NO PROBLEM … famous last thoughts cause it is becoming a real headache!
Good Luck on your revisions … I’ve decided revision is another word for HELL!
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Good luck, Delilah. I miss the dysfunction, too, but I was actually proud of Mary’s mother when she said she got a job.
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I always wanted to watch In Plain Sight and caught like some parts of the first episode but never really sat down to watch it. The first few episodes of a new show I think are always the hardest. They have to work in all that backstory and relationships and the actors need to get comfortable with each other.
One of these days I’ll watch it I think.
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How to do it without a total re-write?
HINT: Honey, there’s a reason they made “cut” & “paste” and “save as”. Hugs & Grins
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Fedora! I need a big freaking whip.
Rachel! The thing I hate about revisions is that they make me rethink everything. I hate crises of confidence.
Jane! I was proud of her mom too, but she was so much more fun when she was wallowing in the booze.
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Brandy! Buy or rent the first two seasons. The show’s good to start with any episode, but you’ll be so much more invested with the characters. I adore Stan and hate that he lost his squeeze on the side. I love Marshall and feel for him because he’s in love with Mary too and can never reveal it—except when she gets shot and doesn’t know!! You will love it.
LOL Bookdragon!! Yeah. Problem with cut and paste is choosing what’s good enough to stay.